Friday, February 24, 2017

US TO FEDS: LEGALIZE NOW

Why Representatives of States with legalized marijuana must
introduce and enact federal legislation repealing federal criminalization of
marijuana.

State Enacted Legalization of Medical & Recreational
Marijuana

Beginning in California in 1996, the people of the United
States have steadily and increasingly supported the legalization of marijuana.

This process has often been painstakingly long and riff with
obstacles. To describe all the shenanigans lawmakers, law enforcement
and lobbyists have done to try and stifle this ongoing political revolution would be
impossible to present here in detail. Suffice to say, the
people have persevered and prevailed.

Currently, there are 28 States and the District of Columbia that have legalized marijuana
either for medicinal or recreational use or both. That’s over half the nation.

Despite this, federal law has failed to reflect the clear
message being sent to Washington by over half the country's citizens, which is;

THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE DO NOT SUPPORT FEDERAL LAWS THAT
ALLOW FOR THE CRIMINALIZATION OR PROHIBITION OF MARIJUANA USE.

Instead of listening and taking action on the people's voice, the federal government continues to support a path
that elevates federal policies over the people's will by insisting marijuana continue
to be classified as a Schedule 1 drug and its possession results in
unquestioned criminal penalties.

In August of 2016, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency stated, “It will keep marijuana illegal for any purpose”. As of
yesterday, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer announced the Trump administration is aiming to reverse the Obama
administration’s policy of lax enforcement of federal marijuana laws.

This deep-seated conflict between federal and State law
regarding marijuana use, whether medicinally or recreationally, has obviously
reached a head and it’s time to address it once and for all.

States With Legalized Marijuana Fail To Be Represented on
Federal Level

Despite the fact that 28 States and D.C. have legalized
marijuana due to voter-approved legislation, federal representatives have
failed to introduce, support, advocate, or lobby for federal legislation that
reflects the will of their constituents in any manner.

Throughout the last twenty years, those elected to the House
and the Senate have acted as though their positions are both separate and removed
from the people they are suppose to be representing. Mostly, these
elected officials have either been silent or worse, remained staunch supporters
of federal laws that are in direct conflict with their own State Constitution.

This failure to represent and defend their constituents should not be taken lightly.

While it is obvious that those who fail to represent their own
citizens is a serious matter from a Constitutional perspective, there is an equally grave issue at stake, that being; by failing to initiate or support changes in
federal legislation from the current criminal penalties associated with federal
laws on marijuana possession, these elected officials are actively endangering the people they are elected to represent and protect.

As it stands, the current system subjects residents of
these States to inherent and unavoidable conflicts with law enforcement
agencies and officials, makes them vulnerable to seizures of property and
liberty, and institutes federal criminal penalties for activities that are
perfectly legal in the State where that person resides.

Officials Elected to Represent Must Represent

For too long the American people have forked over their hard
earned money to pay the salaries of elected officials to represent them, only
to be ignored or snubbed.If an elected
official refuses to represent the will of the people, then whom are they
representing?

If Congress refuses to represent their constituents while
simultaneously accepting public money for duties they refuse to carry out, they
should, at very least, be removed from office for misrepresentation and fraud.

There are no gray areas with respect to the will of the
voters in States that have legalized marijuana for medical and/or recreational
use.

There is no debate about whether or not people in those
States support this position; they have legally codified it in to their State
Constitutions.

Since there is no question as to where the majority of
voters stand in States with legalized marijuana of some form, there is also
no question what their federal representatives are required to do – represent
the people who elected them or face removal from office.

The End Game

If you live in a State that has legalized marijuana in some
manner, contact your Congress persons and Senators to demand action NOW!

At minimum, this action should include the introduction,
advocacy and support of federal legislation that:

1) Decriminalizes the use and possession of marijuana,

2) Removes marijuana from its current federal classification
as a Schedule 1 drug,

3) Removes any financial restraints or prohibitions against
banking institutions for business transactions related directly or indirectly
to industries associated with marijuana,

4) Institutes the retroactive elimination of all fines, fees
and sentences issued nationally by the justice system on the general population
regarding marijuana related offenses.